Protests highlight deeper divides within the Democrats as DNC convenes to back unvoted-for Harris

In light of the tumultuous reshuffling of the Democratic ticket last month by party bosses, it was hoped that the Democratic National Convention would showcase party unity. But the eruption of pro-Palestinian protests in Chicago and across the nation have undercut that message and highlighted lingering divisions within the party on an array of issues. In preparation for what may be a raucous street fight has Chicago businesses already boarded up to prevent looting. Gov. JB Pritzker, D-Ill., said around 150 Illinois National Guard members are on "standby" for the convention.

The Democratic National Convention will stretch from Monday through Thursday and see party bigwigs, including nearly all current and former Democratic presidents, address the electorate ahead of Vice President Kamala Harris’s official acceptance speech on Thursday.

Harris has already been confirmed as the nominee through a virtual roll call, which the party had originally planned to hold to secure President Joe Biden’s slot on the Ohio ballot to meet a deadline requirement. But Biden’s dropping out of the race and endorsement of Harris led to a rapid-fire replacement process in which the DNC speedily backed Harris, who then chose Gov. Tim Walz, D-Minn., as her running mate. As a result, there were no intra-party debates or policy dialogs. 

Traditionally regarded as ranking among the most progressive of Democratic lawmakers, Harris has come under fire over her past policy positions and attempts to adjust her vision for the general election. While the Harris campaign is still in its infancy, a litany of her campaign decisions, including the selection of Walz, have nonetheless exposed rifts between the party’s mainstream and progressive wings.

Here’s a look at some of those keynote issues.

Israel-Hamas conflict

The nearly year-long conflict that began in the wake of the Oct. 7 Hamas raid has led to widespread pro-Palestinian protests demanding a ceasefire. Some such demonstrations have seen college campuses essentially overrun and the police brought in to restore order. Muslim voters, who make up critical constituencies in swing states such as Michigan, have repeatedly warned the Biden administration not to take their votes for granted. Amid the fighting, Biden has largely attempted to walk a fine line between supporting Israel and reprimanding it over the reported civilian death toll. 

Harris, for her part, called for an “immediate ceasefire” in Gaza this March and has generally been in line with the left wing of the party on the issue, endorsing a "two-state solution" which is anathema to many Jewish and pro-Israel voters. She reiterated her call for a ceasefire after what she deemed a “frank and constructive” meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in July. Earlier this month, Harris faced protests multiple times from pro-Palestinian demonstrators. She has since stressed that Israel has an “important obligation” to minimize civilian casualties, but also highlighted Israel’s right to defend itself.

Former Democratic presidential candidate Seth Moulton on Sunday addressed the issue, saying on NewsNation that Harris was “basically continuing the policy of the Biden administration.”

But the Biden administration has managed to alienate a large component of voters, many of whom backed the “uncommitted” option during the primary in protest of its handling of the issue. The Uncommitted National Movement has mobilized more than 100,000 voters and could prove influential in a close election. At least some, moreover, see Harris as walking in lock step with the administration on the matter.

“We consider the policies of unequivocal diplomatic and political and military and financial support for Israel to be the policies of Joe Biden and Kamala Harris,” said U.S. Palestinian Community Network National Chair Hatem Abudayyeh, according to The Hill.

Harris, for her part, has seemingly lost patience with the anti-Israel crowd, telling one group of demonstrators at her event that “If you want Donald Trump to win, then say that. Otherwise, I’m speaking.”

Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Monday announced that Israel had accepted a ceasefire proposal, though Hamas already rejected that proposal the day before.

Her choice of running mate

Walz will deliver his acceptance speech on Wednesday in a moment that will cap off the vice presidential selection process, which saw considerable public discourse about the impact of her choice on the party in light of the Israel-Palestine matter.

Though Harris ultimately opted for Walz to round out the ticket, Gov. Josh Shapiro, D-Pa., was a major contender for the slot in light of his popularity in his critical battleground home state. Complicating matters for him, however, was a prior op-ed in which he cast doubt on the prospects of peaceful coexistence between Israel and its Arab neighbors.

Shapiro, who is Jewish, wrote the op-ed in 1993 and has, since becoming a potential VP pick, indicated that he no longer holds those views. The choice of Walz over Shapiro drew reaction from Republicans, including former Rep. Lee Zeldin, R-N.Y., who said that "despite America’s right, left, and center agreeing that Josh Shapiro was Harris’ best pick for VP, at the end of the day, Shapiro being Jewish disqualified him.”

Pollster Scott Rasmussen further called the overlooking of Shapiro a “missed opportunity” but conceded that his selection could have sparked “lot of internal problems within her party.”

Shapiro himself denied claims that antisemitism was a factor in the selection process, saying it “played absolutely no role in my dialogue with the vice president,” NBC News reported. Walz, for his part, represents a large contingent of pro-Palestinian voters and previously said that many uncommitted voters in the primary were “these folks are asking for a change in course.”

But despite Shapiro’s denials, the public discussion of his background, prior views, and their potential impact nonetheless highlighted the severity of the internal split.

Economic policy flop

Harris drew strong rebuke, even from supportive media, last week as she unveiled a centralized, highly regulation-driven economic agenda that featured federal price controls and drew comparisons from Republicans with Soviet-era economic initiatives. Trump, for his part, dubbed Harris “comrade Kamala” over the matter.

“So believe me, as President, I will go after the bad actors, and I will work to pass the first ever federal ban on price-gouging on food,” she said Friday. “My plan will include new penalties for opportunistic companies that exploit crises and break the rules, and we will support smaller food businesses that are trying to play by the rules and get ahead.”

She further vowed to “provide working families who have paid their rent on time for two years and are buying their first home up to $25,000 in down-payment assistance, with more generous support for first-generation homeowners.”

While many of her policies appeared designed to appeal to younger and lower-income brackets, they failed to resonate with conventional figures on the left and seem to have Democrats worried.

Harvard economist and Obama administration veteran Jason Furman told the New York Times that “[t]his is not sensible policy, and I think the biggest hope is that it ends up being a lot of rhetoric and no reality… There’s no upside here, and there is some downside.”

“If your opponent claims you’re a ‘communist,’ maybe don’t start with an economic agenda that can (accurately) be labeled as federal price controls,” wrote Washington Post columnist Catherine Rampell.

A White House divided?

Harris has secured endorsements from every major Democratic player, but not all of them came at once, with former President Barack Obama one of the last major figures to endorse her.

Obama, as well as Biden, and former President Bill Clinton are all scheduled to deliver speeches during the DNC. Not all will remain to see Harris accept the nomination on Thursday, however. Biden left the convention shortly after delivering his Monday speech, The Hill reported. 

“There’s no doubt he’ll feel sad, and I hope not bitter, but sad and disappointed at the very least, maybe for the rest of his life,” University of Virginia presidential studies professor Barbara Perry told the outlet.

Biden endorsed Harris after deciding to drop out and has since appeared with her at a single public event last week to address the economy. But behind the scenes, Biden is reportedly far from at peace with his defenestration from the top of the ticket, with Axios reporting he is “stunned and pissed,” citing his “friends.”

Ben Whedon is an editor and reporter for Just the News. Follow him on X.